Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death: Bangladesh Tribunal Delivers Verdict on 2024 Protest Crackdown
In a seismic ruling that has electrified the streets of Dhaka and deepened the nation’s political fault lines, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity tied to the brutal suppression of student-led protests in 2024.
The verdict, delivered on Monday, November 17, 2025, by a three-judge panel, marks the first major conviction from the tribunal over the uprising that ousted Hasina after 15 years in power, claiming up to 1,400 lives.
Hasina, 78, was tried in absentia after fleeing to exile in India in August 2024 amid the chaos of the protests, which began as demands for quota reforms but escalated into a nationwide revolution against her autocratic rule.
The tribunal found her guilty on multiple counts, including incitement to murder, ordering lethal force, and failing to prevent atrocities—charges prosecutors said were substantiated by leaked audio recordings of Hasina authorizing “lethal weapons” and helicopter attacks on demonstrators.
The court also condemned her for inflammatory rhetoric, such as labeling protesters “Razakars” (a slur evoking 1971 war collaborators), which prosecutors argued fueled the violence.
Key Figures in the Verdict
Sheikh Hasina: Death sentence for direct responsibility in ordering killings, including specific incidents like the shooting of student Abu Sayeed in Rangpur and the deaths of six protesters in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area.
Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal (former Home Minister): Also sentenced to death in absentia; accused of enabling the crackdown.
Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun (former Inspector General of Police): Five years in prison after pleading guilty and turning state witness.
The tribunal directed the government to provide “considerable compensation” to victims’ families and the injured, though details on funding remain unclear.
Judge Golam Mortuza Mazumder declared: “Sheikh Hasina committed crimes against humanity by her incitement, order, and failure to take punitive measures.”
Immediate Fallout: Protests, Security Crackdown, and Exile Standoff
The verdict triggered immediate chaos in Dhaka, where thousands gathered outside the tribunal, erupting in cheers and chants of “Justice served!” as the sentence was read.
However, Hasina’s Awami League party swiftly called for a nationwide shutdown, branding the ICT a “kangaroo court” and vowing mass protests.
Security forces, numbering 15,000 in the capital alone, were placed on high alert, with reports of tear gas deployments, bomb blasts, and arson attacks on vehicles—resulting in at least two deaths.
From her refuge in New Delhi, Hasina decried the ruling as “biased and politically motivated,” insisting: “Neither I nor other political leaders ordered the killing of protesters.”
Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, echoed this, warning of a “political crisis” and dismissing the tribunal’s proceedings as predetermined.
Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, welcomed the outcome as proof that “no one is above the law,” urging calm ahead of February 2026 elections.
India, Hasina’s host and staunch ally during her tenure, has remained tight-lipped, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating only that New Delhi would “engage constructively” with Dhaka.
Bangladesh has formally requested her extradition, citing an “obligatory responsibility” under international law, but experts doubt India will comply, given Hasina’s role in countering regional extremism.
The 2024 protests, ignited by job quota disputes, symbolized years of pent-up rage against Hasina’s alleged authoritarianism—marked by media censorship, opposition crackdowns, and rigged elections.b9e3da Victims’ families hailed the verdict as long-overdue accountability.
“She emptied the hearts of thousands,” said the father of slain protester Mutasir Rahman, demanding Hasina’s return for public execution.
Human rights activist Shireen Huq cautioned, however, that the “harsh punishment” might not heal wounds without broader reconciliation.
Critics, including Amnesty International, have questioned the ICT’s independence, drawing parallels to post-1971 tribunals that targeted Hasina’s political rivals.
Hasina has 30 days to appeal to the Supreme Court, but only if she surrenders—unlikely given her exile.
